When you go night fishing, do you....

a. Fish shallow?
b. Fish deep where you would catch'em during the day?
c. Fish dark (black) baits?
d. Mainly use plastics?

The reason I ask I am planning a night fishing trip next weekend, beat the heat, full moon. Any advice would be appreciated.

I like to fish grass at night or areas that have quick acess to deep water. I usually will fish a big worm (blue fleck),jig or hildabrandt spinnerbait.

a. yes
b. yes
c. Usually
d. Mostly, with spinnerbaits and topwater baits at the ready.

Thanks for the feedback!

Read John Hope's "Trackin' Trophies" book
a good percentage of larger fish he tracked fed more regularly at nite - moving to a shallow section of bank and moving along it
good stuf!

I have found that the average quality of fish goes up significantly at night..I fish "feeding flats" near creek channels,scattered timber and sparse grass...and dont get discouraged if you dont get bit for a while,at night the bite will turn on and off like a light swith.

I target structure close to the creek channels for the big bite. If you have a lot of docks I would go to the lighted ones (not all will hold fish). I do throw mostly soft plastics, but SB's, topwaters and CB's will work with a steady retrieve, so the fish can find it. I usually use black variations (bl/blu,neon). During a full moon I will throw a white spinnerbait and a drop shot. I use lures that move water and make noise for the most part. Jigs + rattles, bead on my TX rig etc. If it's really calm, I like to barely move a senko across the bottom, or swim a Ribit Frog slowly under the surface over grass.

night fishing is so easy to have a love/hate relationship with...Some nights are great, and the next night is stagnant..Just have to flip away, often times when you get bit in the dark, it is the RIGHT bite...I have caught many over 5 at night, but very few over 7...Just good, solid fish

Throw topwater parallel to the shore. I get blasted a lot in 12" of water.

Good luck

a) shallow, near deeper water (summertime holding areas)

b) near areas they hold during the day but on the shallow side, where they may run baitfish at night or hold on shallower structure to ambush baitfish.

c)i use 5 things at night 1. black spinner with thumper blade 2. black chatter bait 3. dark colored bulky plastics (junebug, blue fleck, black) in 10" power worm, brush hog. 4. my goto at night, black and blue or black and chartruese JIG w/ bulky trailer and rattle 5. topwater, black buzz bait or popper for lighted shallow areas.

d) mainly use spinner or chatter to locate areas where active fish are, then slow down with jig or power worm in the same area. if im fishing a point or flat i will work the topwater and spinner. throw the jig or brushhog (TX rig) around cover and stickups. in grass i will work the brushhog and power worm ssslloowwlyy, and kill em for a few seconds every few feet.

at night i carry 5 poles one with each of those tied on, i bring extra black spinners, plenty of dark colored jigs and plenty of dark colored power worm and brush hogs. thats all i need. i use my frog pole with 60# braid for topwaters at night and dont worry about bringing extra topwaters.

BTW- sometimes a topwater frog will get em at night over shallow grass, as another option.

How does black w/blue flake compare to black w/red flake on soft plastics at night?

+1 also top waters ( black buzzbaits, jitterbug, pop-r) around edge of grass beds

same places I fish during the day, with exception to lighted docks(i fish them to increase the odds of quantity)

It doesn't matter.Either one will catch fish at night.

I like to fish the same areas that I fish during the day but shallower.

Ray Hubbard for instance.I will fish the rocks out deeper during the day.

At night I will fish the rocks in less than 12 inches of water.

Some studies have suggested that fish might see red and chartreuse at night. but mostly they feed by their lateral line.

do not limit yourself, you must go with the conditions. if the water is calm the moon is out, fish quiet baits, along the bottom, use a small colorado blade/#4, on your spinnerbait, 1/4oz buzzbaits. a little wind increase blade size, bulk up on plastics, moderate wind and no moon, your bait must move some water to be found, I go up to #7 colorado blades, 12 inch worms, bulky jigs or 6" hawg craws, 1/2 oz buzzbaits with large blades.

do not over work your bait at night. a steady rhythmic retrieve will usually out produce an erratic one.